Patrick



P. J. KELLY.

' BOILER CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY re. 1918.

. Patented Sept. 23, 1919.

I'nllllllBllllllllllllllll WITNESS UNITED sTATEs PA ENT orrron.

PATRICK J. KELLY, or CHICAGO, Itnmois, AssIenon 'ro KELLY oonrnotnnnCOMPANY, or onIcAeo, ILLINOIS, A oonronnrron or ILLINOIS.

BOILER-CONTROLLER.

Specification of Le tters Patent.

tentedsta h-23,1919.

, Application filed May 18, 1918. Serial No. 235,255.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PATRICK J KELLY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Boiler-Controllers,

of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates in general to steam boilers, and has moreparticular reference to a controller for the same which serves to drythe steam which has been generated -in the boiler, prevents delivery ofwater from the boiler into thesteam supply pipe, and admits cold waterto the boiler upon priming of the boiler, thereby reducing itstemperature and stopping the priming.

My invention also contemplates the provision of means whichautomatically admits fresh water to the boiler when the water level inthe boiler falls below a predetermined point, thereby serving as anautomatic boiler feeder, and is further designed to serve as a velocityreducer for'the generated steam, and also as a grease separator by whichgrease and other foul matter floating in the boiler may be separated andremoved.

For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of my invention, I haveillustrated on the accompanying drawing one preferred embodimentthereof, from an 1nspection of which when considered in connection withthe following description, my invention, its mode of operation and manyof its inherent advantages should be readil understood and appreciated.

On the drawing the single figure represents a side elevation of a boilerequipped with my invention, certain parts being shown in section to moreclearly illustrate l their mode of operation.

Referring to the drawing, reference character 1 indicates generally asteam boiler, which as illustrated, is of I the stationary steam heatingas my invention is better understood that it is capable of applicationto other types of boilers, such as power boilers for instance, and thatthe type of boiler with which my invention is used is immaterial.

The steam generated in the boiler is carried therefrom through the twobranches 2 and 3, to a header of greater cross-sectional area than theaggregate cross-sectional area of the pipes 2 and 3, this headerbeingcon- 1 type, but it will be obvious in which the steam is to beused.

I A It willfbe' observed that the chamber 5 is equipped with downwardlycurved deflectors 8 which serve to deflect the incoming steam water maydrain out thereby preventing the float from becoming water logged. Ableeder-plpe 13 connectedwiththe chamber 5 near itsbottom servestoreturn any water delivered to the chamber 5 through the steam'pipes 2and 3 back into the boiler.

'This pipe,fhowever, instead of being directly connected to the boiler,opens into a float chamber 1% mounted beside the boiler, its'lower endbelng connected with the boiler 1 near its bottom by means of a pipe 15.When the boiler prlmes so that more water is car riednto the chamber 5through the pipes 2 and 3 than can be immediately returned to the boilerthrough the small bleeder-pipe 13, this water accumulates in the chamber5, thereby causing the float 12 to rise and close the valve 9, therebypreventing any water from flowing into the steam delivery line 7. At thesame time fresh cold water is automatically admittedto the boiler tolower the temperature of the overheated surging water, thereby stoppingthe prim-x mg. l

The apparatus for automatically admitting cold fresh water to the boilerwhen the float 12 rises, consists of a water supply pipe provided with ashut-ofi' valve WhlCllw is connected to'and adapted to be operated bythe float 12. The Water supply pipe is designated on the drawing byreference character 16, and it will'be observed that one end of thispipe enters the top, of the boilerwhere it is preferably equipped with aspray nozzle (not shown) adaptedlrto spray the incoming water throughout;a 'considerable area of the boiler. The opposite end of the pipe isconnected to any suitable structed'to, provide a float chamber 5 and anupwardly extending portion 6, which .com- .mumcateswiththe steam supplyline 7 lead- ,ing tOthB radiators or toother apparatus source of watersupply, such as a city supply main, for instance, and in this pipe thereis interposed. a shut-off valve comprising the valve casing 17 carriedby a lateral extension 18 of the chamber 5, this valve casing being incommunication with the chamber 5 and being provided with a valveseat 19against which a sliding valve 21 is adapted to seat. A lever 22 pivotedat 23 in the valve casing extends through a slot in the valve and isconnected'at its other end by a link 24: with a lever 25 pivoted upon asuitable fulcrum 26 and connected at 27 with the float 12. When thefloat is in its normal lowered position as shown on the drawing, itsweight through the lever mechanism just described, serves to hold thevalve 2-1 against itsseat so as to shut off the water supply to theboiler through the pipe 16. Upon priming of the boiler, however, thefloat rises as previously explained, thereby opening the valve 21 andpermitting cold fresh water to be dis charged into the boiler so as toreduce the temperature of the water therein and stop the priming. Afterthe priming has ceased, the accumulated water in the chamber 5 willreturn to the boiler through the bleederpipe 15, permitting the float tofall so as to again close the valve 21.

For the purpose of automatically maintaining a predetermined water levelin the boiler so as to preclude any possibility of injury to the boilerby burning, I have provided mechanism controlled by the water level inthe boiler for admitting additional water through the pipe 16 whenrequired. With this end in view, the float chamber 14? previouslymentioned, is so positioned vertically that the water level therein,which will be the same as the water level in the boiler, willbe disposedsome distance below the top of the float chamber so as to leave a steamspace which will be filled with steam entering from the chamber 5through the pipe 13. A float 28, vertically reciprocable within thechamber l-l, is adapted when the water level reaches the desired height,to seat against and close the lower end of a pipe 29- projectingdownwardly into the chamber. When the water level in the chamber I 14Llowers to a predetermined minimum point, the float will drop so as topermit a flow of steam from the chamber 14 outwardly through the pipe29- and through a small pipe 31 into a jacket 32 carried by the chamber5 in substantially axial alinement with the valve casing 7. Within thejacket 32 there is disposed an expansion post 33 of copper or othersuitable metal having a relatively high coefficient of expansion, and arod 34: connected with this post projects through suitable stuflingboxes into the valve casing 17 and through or partially through theopening in the valve seat 19. Under the influence of the hot steamentering the jacket 32 from the float chamber 14, the rod 31 becomesthermostatically actuated, that is, it is moved downwardlylongitudinally by the expansion of the post 33, and this downwardmovement forces the valve 21 away from its seat so as to permit thedelivery of water to the boiler through the pipe 16. It is understood,of course, that the float 12' will be raised through the lever mechanismupon depression of the valve 21 and the weight of the float will againclose the valve when closing movement is permitted by contraction of thethermostatically actuated expansion post. A bleed passage 35' isprovided in the bottom of the jacket to permit the escape of thecondensed steam in the jacket and also a sufficient flow of live steamto maintain a steam circulation around the expansion post. lVhen thedesired water level has been attained in the boiler by the admission ofwater as just described, the float 28 will shut oil the flow of steam tothe thermostat through the pipes 29 and 31, whereupon the expansion postwill contract permitting thevalve 21 to be closed by the weight ofthefloat 12 and the parts will remain thus in. normal position untilsubsequent lowering of the water level in the boiler or priming of theboiler causes a further admission of fresh water.

It not infrequently happens that an undue amount of oil and grease andother foul matter accumulate in the boiler and float on the water. Inorder to rid the boiler of this foul matter, it has heretofore beennecessary to drain the entire boiler. My improved apparatus, however, isde signed to relieve the boiler of these foul products without drainingthe boiler. To accomplish this result, the boiler is filled tooverflowing with water through the usual re-filling pipe 36, and sincethe grease and other foul matter float, they will rise in the pipes 2and 3 and overflow into the chamber 5. In order to prevent it fromflowing back into the boiler through the pipe 13, this pipe is equippedwith a hand valve 37, or an upwardly closing check valve, which isclosed before the boiler is flooded. The grease and other foul matteris, therefore, trapped in the chamber, from which it will be drained offthrough a drain cock 38. Thus, it will be seen that the boiler may befreed from the grease and other floating foul matter very quickly andeasily without draining the entire boiler.

It is believed that from the foregoing it will be understood that I-have provided a controller which reduces the velocity of the outgoinggenerated steam, dries the steam, prevents water from being carried overinto the steam supply mains, reduces the temperature of the water in theboiler when.-

ever priming occurs, thus stopping the priming, and automaticallymaintains a predetermined water level in the boiler so as to preventinjury to the boiler, which results from a too low water level. Theapparatus therefore serves as a safety device which prevents crackedboiler sections and precludes boiler explosions. It will also beapparent that these various objects and advantageous results are securedwithout the employment of packing boxes, since the working parts arearranged within the chamber and the valve casing so that no leakage ofsteam around these parts can occur.

While I have shown and described a pre ferred embodiment of myinvention, it is to be understood that the various structural detailsare capable of considerable change and modification without departingfrom the essence of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a boiler controller, the combination of a chamber adapted to beinterposed between a boiler and the steam supply pipe therefrom, meansoperable in said chamber for admitting Water to the boiler upon primingof the boiler, and means for admitting Water to the boiler when theWater therein falls below a predetermined level.

2. The combination of a boiler, a water supply pipe therefor, a valvecontrolling the flow of water through said pipe, means for opening saidvalve upon priming of the boiler, and means for opening said valve whenthe water level in the boiler falls below a predetermined point.

3. The combination of a boiler, means for supplying water thereto, avalve for controlling said supply, and means for opening said valve whenthe Water level in the boiler falls below a pro-determined point andalso upon priming of the boiler irrespective of the Water level therein.

4. The combination of a boiler, a Water supply pipe therefor, a steamdelivery pipe therefrom, valves in said pipes, means for opening thewater valve and closing the steam valve upon priming of the boiler, andindependent means for opening said water valve.

5. The combination of a boiler, a water supply pipe therefor, means forautomatically admitting water to the boiler through said pipe uponpriming of the boiler, and means for automatically admitting water tocopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe the boiler through said pipe when the water level in the boilerfalls below .a predetermined point.

6. In a boiler controller, the combination of a valve for controllingthe water supply to a boiler, means for opening said valve upon primingof the boiler, and thermostatically actuated means for opening saidvalve when a predetermined Water level in the boiler has been reached.

7. In a boiler controller, the combination of a valve for controllingthe water supply to a boiler, means for actuating said valve uponpriming of the boiler, and steamactuated means for operating said valvewhen a predetermined water level in the boiler occurs.

8. In a boiler controller, the combination of a chamber, a steam supplypipe connected thereto, a deflector for deflecting the steam enteringsaid chamber, a valve casing carried by the chamber and in communicationtherewith, a valve disposed in said casing, and mechanism arrangedwithin said chamber and casing for actuating said valve.

9. In a boiler controller, the combination of a chamber, a valve casingcarried thereby, a valve in said casing, means entirely disposed Withinthe chamber and casing for actuating said valve, and independentmechanism outside said chamber for actuating said valve.

10. The combination of a boiler, a water supply pipe therefor, a valvecontrolling the flow of water through said pipe, a float chamber at oneside of said boiler, a perforated float therein, means for supplyingsteam and water to said float chamber, a steam pipe leading from saidchamber, said float being adapted to close said steam pipe, athermostatic device to which steam is delivered by said steam pipe, andan operative connection between said thermostatic device and said valve.

11. The combination of a boiler, a chamber interposed in the lsteamsupply line therefrom, a float in said chamber, a valve adapted to beactuated by said float to shut off the steam supply line, a Water supplypipe for the boiler, a valve interposed in said pipe, a connectionbetween said valve and said float whereby said water valve is opened asthe steam valve is closed, and independent means for controlling saidwater valve.

PATRICK J KELLY.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

